Luce Foundation Center for American Art

Thomas Hicks studied in America and Europe before establishing a studio in New York. He was well known for painting portraits but also created many images of people and animals in picturesque landscapes. In 1860 he painted the first portrait of Abraham Lincoln, shortly after the future president's nomination. While Hicks was painting the image, Lincoln's children sneaked into the office and smeared paint all over the walls. Lincoln later described this as "their first effort in brilliant wall decoration" (Chicago Daily Tribune, February 7, 1909).